About the new board name (cougarstadium.com)

[Scratch]

Wow. At the risk of being labeled "obsessed with all things BYU", I'd like to know more about this. Do you know how they were tipped off to your requests?

I'm not certain, but I think that some schools will give a heads-up to other schools for which they are about to hand something over. In other words, hey BYU, we're handing over this contract and a few emails, just so you know. Again, that's my best guess.

[falafel]

I personally know several members of both legal departments.

:bsflag:

[Pelado]

BYU is not subject to FOIA requests. Scratch could request that info all day and they could just give him the finger.

I'm aware. I'd probably do it the same as BYU if I were in their shoes. But I also like knowing what their contracts and emails with public institutions say.

[Solon]

There has been no change in vision or guidelines. There was a name change.

I explained in this thread why I chose to support it. There has been no discussion about moderating the board any differently than it has been from the start.

Fair enough.
byu types have never been great at dealing with minority groups.

[The_Douger]

I'd be interested to see anything Scratch has requested. I find realignment interesting, as well as the discussions between schools as they try to schedule games.

[MartyFunkhouser]

I can agree with that, minus a Funk.

Assuming the minus a funk means me, not Mrs. Funk, I will let this slide. Otherwise, dems fightin' words.

Also, I'm learning I have new enemies that I ever even knew about. I'm trying to remember any run ins that I've had with Pelado. If new site is spawned from this, I look forward to the new mortal enemies that will come with it.

[UtahDan]

I haven't complained about the name-change (in fact, I think it's a good name for a byu-board). I have suggested that people lighten up on The Dude.

I agree that the removal of the word "ute" from the title won't really change this place, but that begs the question of why it was removed. To my mind, it was done with the future in mind. I am interested in what that future might look like.

I actually am a sports fan.
I don't make Utah sports-related posts on here because I consider this to be a de facto byu board. I would welcome a place to discuss Ute sports more openly, but I have a hard time justifying my spending time on one board, let alone two or three.

I have no intention of burning any bridges around here (not that you and I have much of a bridge, but whatever we have I don't consider it to be on fire).

This is how I feel too. This is not the end of the world. I would have preferred it not have happened, but it did. I think it just sort of is what it is at this point. The idea that there were good reasons for the change having to do with the future of this board but that the change is "just a name" that doesn't and shouldn't affect anything related to the future of this board will continue not to resonate or get traction, however, because it doesn't make sense.

So I agree with you that it makes much more sense to say that the desired direction is X and that this change was made to help bring it about. At bottom, it is a decision to market this board in a way that will attract more BYU sports fans and make them feel more welcome. This necessarily means that it ceases to be marketed in a way as to also attract Utah fans and make them feel welcome. While I would have preferred that not occur, I cannot say that it is at all irrational to focus on a single group of fans and grow the board in that direction.

I do believe, however, that some of my friends here have a little bit of a blind spot as they argue that it doesn't actually represent a change and seem surprised at how Utah fans are universally reacting. Two things are equally apparent to me now: (1) Utah fans genuinely believed that this was also a Utah forum (I would never have spent the last 4+ years helping to run this board, albeit in a very modest capacity, had I believed it to be otherwise) and are crest fallen that things are moving in a different direction and (2) many, though certainly not all, BYU fans never saw it as anything other than a BYU forum and seem genuinely surprised that the Utes here imagined otherwise. There also seems to be a fair amount of pleasure being taken by some in our obvious disappointment and given the developments of the last few years one can perhaps understand why that feels emotionally satisfying.

I like and respect Jeff a lot and have recently told him so, notwithstanding that I don't see eye to eye with him here. I think he made a tough choice to gain some long term benefits with some short term sacrifices. It stings, but I understand it. From my perspective I guess I sort of hope that people can not begrudge we Utes our disappointment. At the same time I hope my Ute brethren will keep some perspective, particularly given our many friendships here, and not feel the need to lash out or show their ass on the way out the door (if they are leaving). I never plan on not being part of this community. On the other hand I do believe there is room for Ute focused community that is done much better than Ute fans, and which has the possibility of being more robust that what exists here for Utes (particularly given the new direction).

[UtahDan]

:bsflag:

I like your new avatar BTW.

[FMCoug]

Re: About the new board name (cougarstadium.com)

You can only talk about porn so much. We beat it to death.

My condolences.

[Scratch]

:bsflag:

You're wrong. I know several - 2 in BYU's and 1 in Utah's. I know one at BYU's fairly well, as we used to work for the same firm and were in the same stake. The other at BYU I know less well, but he used to be in my stake and we were generally friendly.

[pelagius]

So I agree with you that it makes much more sense to say that the desired direction is X and that this change was made to help bring it about. At bottom, it is a decision to market this board in a way that will attract more BYU sports fans and make them feel more welcome. This necessarily means that it ceases to be marketed in a way as to also attract Utah fans and make them feel welcome. While I would have preferred that not occur, I cannot say that it is at all irrational to focus on a single group of fans and grow the board in that direction.

UD, I know there are some people that are arguing it is "just a name change and thus should have no real or meaningful effects" but I didn't think that was the understanding of those on the Executive Committee. It is pretty much a name change, but a name change has some signaling effects (as you point out). How that signal affects the long-run equilibrium is largely uncertain, but I would be surprised (I think everyone on the EC agrees) if the effect is zero. Now how large of a shift it really causes, I imagine, there is substantial disagreement over that issue (whatever people's expectation, it probably is important to remember the dispersion parameter for the ex ante distribution is likely to be huge).

[falafel]

You're wrong. I know several - 2 in BYU's and 1 in Utah's. I know one at BYU's fairly well, as we used to work for the same firm and were in the same stake. The other at BYU I know less well, but he used to be in my stake and we were generally friendly.

So you're already backing off your assertion that you know "several" members of the both legal departments.

[falafel]

I like your new avatar BTW.

Thanks, even though I know you're obligated to say that after I nixed the charges after you were caught with that hooker that one time.

[UtahDan]

UD, I know there are some people that are arguing it is "just a name change and thus should have no real or meaningful effects" but I didn't think that was the understanding of those on the Executive Committee. It is pretty much a name change, but a name change has some signaling effects (as you point out). How that signal affects the long-run equilibrium remains is unknown, but I would be surprised (I think everyone on the EC agrees) if the effect is zero. Now how large of a shift it really causes, I imagine, there is substantial disagreement over that issue (whatever people's expectation, it probably is important to remember the dispersion parameter for the ex ante distribution is likely to be huge).

I don't disagree with you and I hope I'm not mischaracterizing you or anyone else on the EC. I'm trying to describe my own perspective as best I can, not provide anyone insight into the EC's. I will leave it to you and others to accurately describe the EC's feelings and thoughts, if you wish to. As I tried express above, I think BYU fans and Utah fans see this in profoundly different ways. I hear you saying to me and other Utes "you're right, but I'm really surprised how strongly this affected you." And I'm just trying to say, "I can see that." I hope this is a situation where my BYU friends can say "I don't really understand the Utes perspective but it's obvious they all share it so it must have some validity in their eyes."

[UtahDan]

Thanks, even though I know you're obligated to say that after I nixed the charges after you were caught with that hooker that one time.

I appreciated that, but you know that the one time pay off to her won't be enough, right?